The present invention relates to the field of garment storage and, in particular, to a garment storage apparatus and system for minimizing wrinkling of stored garments.
It is well known that garments placed in storage devices of all types become wrinkled over a period of time. Accordingly, it is common for a business traveler to pack a garment bag, suitcase, and/or carry-on luggage with clothing needed for a trip and, upon arriving at a destination, finding that the clothing that had been originally wrinkle-free when loaded into the storage device now looks like it was xe2x80x9cslept in.xe2x80x9d This is particularly acute for a business traveler who must go from destination to destination and look sharp and neat at each stop.
In addition to wrinkling during travel, the lack of a device for keeping suits xe2x80x9cwrinklexe2x80x9d free during transport often causes businesspeople who visit a gym or other club after working hours to leave the gym in their business clothes in order to avoid having to dry clean their clothing to eliminate the wrinkles and/or odors.
There are a number of devices available for transporting garments, but none that is adapted for use by both the business traveler and the businessperson that engages in activities after work. For example, it is generally recognized that a full-length garment bag is the most effective mechanism in the prior art for avoiding wrinkling of hanging clothes. However, these bags are bulky and are not readily adapted for easy transportation on subways or the like. Further, storage of such a bag on a commercial aircraft or gym locker requires that the bag be folded, which defeats the benefits of use of a full-length bag.
In response to the problems attendant to full length garment bags, a number of folding garment bags have been developed, with compartments for shirts, socks, and other articles of clothing. However, such luggage still represents an essential compromise between the goal of wrinkle-free transportation of fine articles of clothing and the ability to carry one""s luggage into the cabin of an airplane.
It is also known in the prior art of luggage to incorporate apparatus for holding coat hangers on at least one interior wall of a hard sided relatively large suitcase so that most suits, dresses, and the like can be stored in the suitcase on a hanger, folded once. Furthermore, some suitcases have included a panel that has a thick wire frame on the perimeter for laying on top of the portion of hanging clothing that lays within the interior well of one side of such a suitcase. In typical usage, the parts of the hanging clothes that hang below the lower edge of such a panel are folded over the wire edge of the panel and then other clothing may be inserted. It is also known to include a selectively closeable flap for holding the packed assembly in the interior well of one side of the suitcase so that all the clothing articles do not fall out when the suitcase is opened. However, such suitcases have been of relatively large size, and are not suited for carryon luggage, storage in a gym locker, or transport on subways.
A number of United States Patents have been issued relating to the storage and transport of garments. However, each has drawbacks that make them unsuited to solve the above-identified problem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,1710, titled xe2x80x9cArticle of Luggagexe2x80x9d, discloses a portable wardrobe that carries articles of clothing in an extended position upon a locking garment support bar. This article is essentially a variation of the folding full-length garment bag discussed above in which a specialized hanger is utilized to hold the clothing in position. However, because of the lack of support for the clothing within the bag, this design does not solve the wrinkling problem. Further, the relatively large size of the article makes it unsuitable for use as a carry-on, or for storage in a gym locker.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,737,013 titled xe2x80x9cGarment Case with Hangar Like Supportxe2x80x9d, discloses a flexible garment case having a rigid support member attached to the outsides of the midsection of the bag. In operation the support member is locked in place and the bag is folded over it. However, the fact that the support member is only disposed along the central portion of the outside of the bag means that the clothing is free to move within the bag, causing wrinkles. Further, the relatively large size of the case again makes it unsuitable for use as a carry-on, or for storage in a gym locker.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,662,513 and 4,738,360, each titled xe2x80x9cGarment Bag with Improved Packing Capabilityxe2x80x9d, disclose a garment bag having a pair of straps attached to a rotatable bar for holding clothing in place. The bar and straps act to hold the bottom end of the clothing while it is folded over itself. However, there is no means for holding the clothing along the fold line, which inherently causes wrinkles. Further, as was the case with the other bags, these bags are too large for use as a carry-on, or for storage in a gym locker.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,432, titled xe2x80x9cGarment Bag for Dresserxe2x80x9d, discloses a garment bag the includes hangar holders at one end and an adjustable hem clasp mechanism at the other end for holding the hems of dresses in place. This hem clasp holds the clothing an extended position during transport and, therefore, this bag does not suffer from the wrinkling problems of the other cited bags. However, as this bag is essentially a variation of the typical xe2x80x9cfold overxe2x80x9d style garment bag, it is too large for use as a carry-on, or for storage in a gym locker.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,297, titled xe2x80x9cGarment Bag Construction to Minimize Wrinklingxe2x80x9d discloses a bag with a pair of Velcro closures and rigid wall portions that immobilize clothing and greatly reduce wrinkling. However, it is again of too large a size for use as a carry-on, or for storage in a gym locker.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,397, titled xe2x80x9cGarment Bag with Cylindrical-Shaped Packing Compartmentsxe2x80x9d, discloses a garment bag that includes one or more semi-cylindrical shaped pockets that extend across the width of the bag and hold clothing in place when the bag is folded. Because the clothing is held in position once folded, this bag avoids some of the wrinkling problems of other designs. However, once again, it is too large for use as a carry-on, or for storage in a gym locker.
A garment storage apparatus that prevents wrinkling of clothing and is of a size that is readily adapted for use as a carry-on or for storage in a gym locker is not known in the art.
The present invention is a garment storage apparatus that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art. In its most basic form, the apparatus includes a housing having a first portion made up of a first end and a first pair of sides, a second portion made up of a second end and a second pair of sides, and a central portion. Each of the first portion, the second portion and the central portion has an interior surface and an exterior surface. In addition, the first portion and the second portion are dimensioned to fold about the central portion and fasten together to form an interior compartment of the apparatus. A clamp plate is rotatably attached to the first end of the interior surface of the first portion of the housing and clamping means are provided for releasably engaging the clamp plate with the interior surface of the first portion of the housing. A central rod assembly is attached to the interior surface of the central portion of the housing. The central rod assembly includes a central rod that is disposed in substantially parallel relation with the ends of the housing. This central rod is manufactured of a material that allows the central rod to hold a garment in tension when the first portion and the second portion are folded about the central portion. A second rod assembly is attached to the interior surface of the second portion of the housing. The second rod assembly includes a second rod disposed in substantially parallel relation with the second end of the second portion of the housing. The second rod is also manufactured of a material that allows the second rod to hold a garment in tension when the first portion and the second portion are folded about the central portion.
In operation, a first end of a garment is disposed proximate to the clamp plate. A second end of the garment is then fed below the central rod assembly and the second rod assembly, folded back over the rods, and disposed proximate to the clamp plate and first end. The clamp plate is then engaged with the interior portion of the housing by the clamping means, causing the first end and the second end of the garment to be secured. The first portion and the second portion of the housing are then folded about the central portion and fastened together to allow the garment to be transported within the interior of the housing. Because the garment is held in tension about the rods by the clamping force exerted by the plate, the garment is not allowed to move within the apparatus and, consequently, remains in a substantially wrinkle free state during transport and storage.
In the preferred embodiment of the apparatus, the clamping means is a first rod assembly attached to the first interior surface of the first portion of the housing. The first rod assembly includes a first rod that is disposed at a position within the housing such that the first rod releasably engages the clamp plate with the interior surface of the first portion of the housing. It is preferred that the first rod assembly be dimensioned to allow the first end of the garment to be disposed in a position between the interior surface of the housing and the plate and to allow the second end of the garment to be disposed between the plate and the first rod. This prevents the surfaces of the garment from being clamped together and acts as a further precaution against wrinkling.
In the preferred embodiment, each rod assembly includes an adjustable arm joint and a clamp. However in other embodiments the central rod is a fixed and the garment is fed underneath the fixed central rod. In other embodiments, the second rod is fixed while, in still other embodiments, the central rod and second rod are both fixed rods about which the garment is fed.
The preferred rod assembly includes a plastic arm joint that rotates between a base position and a second position that is preferably at a forty-five degree angle from the base position. The preferred clamp is a plastic xe2x80x9cCxe2x80x9d type clamp that is dimensioned to allow the rod to be pressed into its opening and holds the rod in place.
It is likewise preferred that the apparatus include at least one hanging means for hanging said apparatus during storage, with the preferred embodiment including two such hanging means that are attached to the outside surface of the housing. The preferred apparatus also includes a handle, retractably attached to the exterior surface of the housing, for carrying said apparatus during transport.
Therefore, it is an aspect of the invention to provide a garment storage apparatus that prevents wrinkling of clothing.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a garment storage apparatus that is of a size that is readily adapted for use as a carry-on luggage during air travel.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a garment storage apparatus that is of a size that is readily adapted for storage in a gym locker.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a garment storage apparatus that allows multiple apparatus to be arranged in a single suitcase or other garment holding device.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a garment storage apparatus that is much lighter than other devices.
It is a further aspect of the invention to provide a garment storage apparatus that may be hung within a closet in a manner similar to traditional hangars.
These aspects of the invention are not meant to be exclusive and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art when read in conjunction with the following description, appended claims and accompanying drawings.